Top bad habits of adults suffering from ADHD
Getting to know yourself and the negative effects of ADHD on your person and professional life is crucial
to avoiding them
Most adults who have ADHD have at least a few of the listed bad habits. A big part of dealing with ADHD is getting to know these habits so that you do not get blindsided by them. While this can be a helpful list to ponder your own habits, it could also be of great benefit to check out our ADHD test, so that you might get a more accurate evaluation.
Getting stuck in perfectionism
It’s easy to get distracted by the perfect ideas that we have in our head. A lot of times, this means that you jump around, from project to project, not really getting involved in any of them, because of the stress that they might not turn out perfect, and this way, postponing the inevitable work that needs to be done. Instead of having unrealistic, perfect expectations, try putting less pressure on yourself. The most important thing is to start doing something, this always reveals that the work at hand is not as daunting as you thought it is. Instead of wanting to be perfect from the get-go, work in stages. Start off by creating a draft, and work on polishing it, instead of trying to rush to the finish.
2. Thinking short term
The problem with thinking only about short term actions and results, is that it leaves a lot of space for wandering around. When you don’t have a clear plan for the months and years ahead, every little distraction can seem more important than it is. To avoid this, spend some time thinking about the long term goals and vision that you have. Having that clearly set in your mind, will increase the chance that you don’t wonder in your daily life.
3. Saying yes to everything
A lot of time can be wasted if you are not clear about what you want and don’t want. When you do not have a clear vision of what you do not want to do in your life, you can be easily swayed to do anything. To counter that, make an effort to set some clear guidelines and “No’s” in your life. Let your friends and co-workers know about your work time, and do not let them interrupt you during that time. When doing a specific task, say not random email checking and call answering. If you do not identify the distractions and proactively say no to them, they will always find a way of catching you off guard.
4. Not setting priorities
It’s easy to start thinking that every single task is important. The truth is that some tasks are more important than others. If you prioritize everything equally, you will scatter your attention and not get anything done. Make it a habit to decide on the actual value and importance of the tasks that you are doing, and set the best and most productive time of the day to complete those tasks.
5. Trying to go on long work periods without rest
When the work starts piling up, it’s easy to decide to tackle the task at hand and go in a full on work mode to try to compensate. However, this almost never works. The best habit to have is a mixture of work and relaxation. Make it a habit to proactively relax yourself. This way, you will avoid getting burned out and bored by the work that you are doing. Understand that your brain needs downtime. If you don’t give it what it needs, it will start acting out by getting bored and distracted.
